Papers of Michael V. Simko

Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library

Summary Information

Repository:
Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library
Creator:
Simko, Michael V.
Title:
Papers of Michael V. Simko
ID:
BHC-MSS 0168
Date [inclusive]:
1923-1988
Physical Description:
2.92 Linear feet
Language of the Material:
English , Slovak .
Abstract:
Born on December 15, 1893, Michael V. Simko was a Bridgeport based podiatrist as well as a prolific writer. He wrote a prodigious amount of short stories, as well as two novels: White Birch Mystery and Mila Nadya which was influenced by Simko's experiences with the Bridgeport's Slovakian community, where Simko grew up.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Michael V. Simko (BHC-MSS 0168), Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library.

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Biographical / Historical

Born on December 15, 1893, Michael V. Simko was a Bridgeport based podiatrist as well as a prolific writer. The son of Slovakian immigrants, Simko was born and raised in Bridgeport. His father was a grocer, and the family likely lived in Bridgeport's east side, where the Slovak community was based.

Simko received his podiatry credentials from the First Institute of Podiatry, New York in 1917. During World War I, he served as the chief camp podiatrist at Camp Devens, Massachusetts.

Active in both his professional and personal lives, Simko acted as the secretary for the Connecticut Board of Examiners in Podiatry among other posts, and was very involved with Slovak community activities. This includes time as the chairman of the Slovak league of American War Bonds Committee, the Bridgeport Slovak Alliance, and many more organizations. Simko was also involved with other civic organizations such as the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, and the American Association of Retired Persons. Despite working full time as a Podiatrist and engaging in numerous civic and cultural organizations, Simko manage to produce a prolific number of literary papers. In addition to extensive short stories and newspaper articles, Simko wrote two novels. The first was a short novel for boys called White Birch Mystery (1926), and he authored a longer novel called Mila Nadya (1968). Focused on a Slovakian immigrant named Nadya, the novel draws on the community that Simko grew up in and documents Nadya's life. The book's reception is not clear at this time.

Michael V. Simko married Rose Nasta. They had a son, Vincent, and daughter Rita Trudeau. Simko died on July 15, 1989 in Bridgeport.

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Scope and Contents

The collection contains several drafts of Simko's second novel, Mila Nadya. The drafts are undated, and so an attempt has been made to determine draft order. Additional short stories, both in draft form and published formed are present. There are also newspaper articles Simko wrote, along with a smattering of podiatry related material.

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Arrangement

Series I contains various drafts for Mila Nadya. None of them are dated, so effort has been made to determine draft order based on corrections between texts. The handwritten manuscript has been placed first. The synopsis sent to publishers, along with publication information and finances follow.

Series II contains short stories, as well as the short novel White Birch Mystery. It has been divided into three subgroups: individual pieces, and two sets of alphabetical files. The individual pieces are organized alphabetically by title. Many contain typescript drafts. An examination of the documents reveals that Simko appears to have kept two different alphabetical files of his published works for unknown reasons. Out of respect for original order, they have been maintained separately.

Series III contains newspaper pieces that Simko authored both for Bridgeport newspapers and Slovakian language papers. Series IV, other publications, contains a smattering of podiatry material.

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Administrative Information

Publication Statement

Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library

Bridgeport History CenterBridgeport Public Library925 Broad StreetBridgeport, CT 06604Business Number: 203-576-7400 (Extension: #7)URL: https://bportlibrary.org/hc/

Immediate Source of Acquisition

1990.17

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Controlled Access Headings

  • Authors
  • Authors, American--Archives
  • Manuscript preparation (Authorship)
  • Slovak Americans
  • Slovak American newspapers
  • Short stories, American

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Bibliography

Hanley, Terence E. "Michael V. Simko (1893-1989)", Tellers of Weird Tales (2016.) Accessed October 21, 2021. https://tellersofweirdtales.blogspot.com/2016/01/michael-v-simko-1893-1989.html

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Collection Inventory

Series I, Mila Nadya

Title/DescriptionInstances
Handwritten copy of Mila Nadya, pages 1-751, undated
Box 1 folder 1-7
Manuscript pages 1-100, undated
Box 1 folder 8
Manuscript pages 101-473, undated
Box 2 folder 1-3
My Golden Nadya, pages 1-206, undated
Box 2 folder 4-5
Mila Nadya mss pages,1-300, undated
Box 2 folder 6-8
Mila Nadya mss pages,301-535, undated
Box 3 folder 1-2
Golden Nadya revised copy by Marie McCall, pages 1-168, undated
Box 3 folder 3-4
Corrected pages of Mila Nadya, undated
Box 3 folder 5
Synopsis and characters in Mila Nadya, undated
Box 3 folder 6
Synopsis of Mila Nadya, pages 1-168, 1948
Box 3 folder 7-8
Contract, correspondence with Dorrance Co., 1966-1971
Box 4 folder 1
Financials with Dorrance Co., 1967-1970
Box 4 folder 2

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Series II, Short stories

Subseries 1, Individual pieces

Title/DescriptionInstances
"Angeles in Osanaka", 1953
Box 4 folder 5
"The Guarding Skeleton", 1920
Box 4 folder 6
"Little Girls in April"; "Wild FLowers for Sepulche", 1956
Box 4 folder 7
"Luke Flies the Falcon", undated
Box 4 folder 8
"Prissy Priscilla", undated
Box 4 folder 9-10
"The Raven Patrol", undated
Box 4 folder 11
"The Single C Mystery", undated
Box 4 folder 12
"Teddy for Wee", undated
Box 4 folder 13
"Trooper Moyd With Custer" pages 2-100, undated
Box 4 folder 14
"Trooper Moyd with Custer" pages 101-163, undated
Box 5 folder 1
"White Birch Mystery", c. 1926
Box 5 folder 2
"Wings for Lucy", undated
Box 5 folder 3
Early stories, 1923-1955
Box 4 folder 3-4

Subseries 2, First set of alphabetical files

Title/DescriptionInstances
A-B, 1984-1987, undated
Box 5 folder 5
C-D, 1981-1987, undated
Box 5 folder 6
E-F, 1971, undated
Box 5 folder 7
G-H, 1971-1981, undated
Box 5 folder 8
J-K, 1985, undated
Box 5 folder 9
L-M, 1957-1960, undated
Box 5 folder 10
N-O, 1960-1984, undated
Box 6 folder 1
P-Q, 1983, undated
Box 6 folder 2
R-S, 1984-1987, undated
Box 6 folder 3
T-U, undated
Box 6 folder 4
V-W, 1986-1987, undated
Box 6 folder 5
X-Z, 1988
Box 6 folder 6
Stories in E Glute, 1970-1974
Box 6 folder 7
Published in the Sunday Herald, 1956-1957
Box 6 folder 8
Slavic written stories, 1938-1939
Box 6 folder 9

Subseries 3, Second set of alphabetical files

Title/DescriptionInstances
A-B, 1923-1935
Box 6 folder 10
C-D, 1970-1980
Box 6 folder 11
E-H, 1967-1968
Box 6 folder 12
I-L, 1942-1968
Box 6 folder 13
M-N, 1969
Box 6 folder 14
P1925-1956
Box 6 folder 15
Q-R, 1980-1981
Box 6 folder 16
S-W, 1965-1970
Box 6 folder 17

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Series III, Newspaper pieces

Title/DescriptionInstances
A-B, 1969-1971
Box 6 folder 18
C-D, 1925-1948
Box 6 folder 19
E-H, 1933-1967
Box 7 folder 1
I-L, 1921-1935
Box 7 folder 2
M-P, 1929-1940
Box 7 folder 3
Q-S,, 1939-1960
Box 7 folder 4
T-Z, 1925-1936
Box 7 folder 5

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Series IV, Other publications

Title/DescriptionInstances
Podiatry publications, undated
Box 7 folder 6

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